Reunited with the Past

As many of you know I work for UVU's Woodbury Art Museum. A selection of the dolls from the McCurdy Doll Museum will be on display at the Woodbury Art Museum from November 6 until January 15, 2010. Earlier this week I interviewed Shirley Paxman founder of the McCurdy Doll Museum in Provo, Utah. Mrs. Paxman told me many wonderful stories about the collection of 4,000 dolls.

When asked which was her favorite doll Mrs. Paxman said without hesitation, "Rosie". She received Rosie, a composite baby doll, for Christmas in 1929 when she was 9 years old. Like Mrs. Paxman, countless women can fondly name their favorite childhood doll too.

My favorite doll as a child was Ruby Louise, a 1983 red headed Cabbage Patch doll. I had secretly wished my hair was red because I wanted to be like Anne of Green Gables. My mother braved the crowds of people who all wanted the popular Cabbage Patch dolls for their daughters in search of a red headed one. I was so excited to receive her for Christmas and as I dragged her with me everywhere I went she became a little friend to me for years.

Mrs. Paxman told me she still had Rosie, and asked if I still had Rubie Louise. I regretfully told her, that Ruby Louise was lost along with most of my childhood possessions in our Gulf Coast home during Hurricane Katrina.

After the interview, Mrs. Paxman showed me through the many rooms of dolls. At my surprise in the last room, I saw several Cabbage Patch dolls still in their boxes laying on the floor. I was so excited to see a red headed Cabbage Patch amongst them. It instantly conjured up my memories of Ruby Louise. Mrs. Paxman picked it up and said she wanted me to have it. I tearfully told her that she shouldn't give it to me that it should stay with her. She explained that this doll should go with me because no one else would appreciate her more than I would.

Sadly disaster did take many things that I loved, but I am so thankful to have been reunited with my childhood doll in such a serendipitous way. I think sharing the experience I had with Mrs. Paxman truly tells the story of who she is and what she is about more than any interview question I could have asked.